Infectious Diseases in Children Symposium returns for 35th year

The 35th annual Infectious Diseases in Children Symposium will be held Nov. 19 and 20 in New York.

Program director David W. Kimberlin, MD, co-director of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children’s of Alabama, told Healio that during the planning of the meeting, the program committee focused on “major situations and conditions that pediatric providers are facing” as they move into the fourth year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Of course, this includes some mention of COVID and its prevention, but to a much greater extent this year’s meeting is focusing on aspects of pediatric care that have been knocked out of their previous alignment by the pandemic — the really unusual circulation patterns of respiratory viruses, the challenges of communicating about the need for immunizations when many parents are less interested than ever,” Kimberlin said.

He said the most prominent “theme” of this year’s symposium is that practitioners have not returned to what was “normal” pre-pandemic.

“Things continue to develop as we move to what ultimately will be a new normal, and we hope that this year’s symposium will help attendees navigate that,” Kimberlin said.

Among Kimberlin’s most anticipated programs are sessions about new advancements in RSV prevention through vaccination, and the “insights being generated that turn how we respond to infections into new diagnostic and therapeutic tools.”

Also this year, longtime Healio contributor James H. Brien, DO, will give his last presentation of his popular “What’s Your Diagnosis?” column.

In anticipation of this year’s meeting, we compiled stories and videos from the 2021 symposium:

VIDEO: 'What will happen this winter' with seasonal viruses like flu, RSV?

In this video, John V. Williams, MD, explained what to expect from seasonal influenza, human metapneumovirus and respiratory syncytial virus in the coming year. Williams will present again this year on the ongoing RSV surge and prevention solutions. Watch video.

Staph remains leading SSTI, expert says

Healio Pediatrics Peer Perspective Board Member C. Buddy Creech, MD, MPH, associate professor of pediatrics and director of the pediatric infectious disease fellowship program at Vanderbilt University, explained why Staphylococcus aureus remains the leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections. Creech will return this year to present new developments in pediatric outpatient treatment for COVID. Read more.

Pediatric COVID-19 case counts likely 'tip of the iceberg,' expert says

Sara Oliver MD, MSPH, who leads the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices work group on COVID-19 vaccines, will also be speaking this year on the future of pediatric COVID-19 vaccines. Read more.

MIS-C surges ‘almost predictable’

Roberta DeBiasi, MD, MS, section chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and a returning speaker this year, described the predictability of MIS-C surges last year. Read more.

Video: Important updates in latest Red Book

Kimberlin, an editor of the 2021 Red Book, said “every single chapter has been modified since the 2018 edition.” Watch video.